1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to skimming devices for removing pollutants such as oil and other floating pollutants, from the surface of a body of water and incorporates a sump box or collecting receptacle mounted forwardly of a floating barge, vessel or in the path of flow of water, a pump associated therewith and a weir oriented in predetermined relation to the surface of the water and communicated with the sump box so that oil or other floating pollutants from the surface of the water will be collected in the sump box or receptacle and pumped to a desired location.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Accidental spillage, discharge of oil and other floating pollutants into bodies of water is a well known problem and many efforts have been made to remove such pollutants in order to restore the quality of the water to desired characteristics. Included in such attempts have been the use of chemical additives to cause a change in the characteristics of the oil, the use of confining devices to form barriers to prevent the spread of oil with pump devices associated therewith for removing the oil from the surface of the water, the use of various materials to absorb the oil from the water and many other endeavors to separate oil or other floating pollutants from the surface of water all of which have worked to some degree.